Ignition apparatus.



H. LYON.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 11, 1910.

1, 1 1 8,941; Patented Dc. 1, 1914.

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HE NORRIS FEIERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINhTON. n. r

UNITEDSTA'IMENT OFFICE.

HOWARD nYo LoE I GLoUOEs'rEncI Y, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To WELSBACH LIGHT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

.17 all whom it may concern i Be it'known that I, HOWARD LYON, a citizen ,of the United States, residing at Gloucester City, in the county of Camden and State otNew Jersey, have invented. certain newv and useful Improvements in Ignition Apparatus, of which the following is a description. 1 @My invention relates to a novel means for" igniting a jet or current of combustible gas, for example, ordinary illuminating gas, gasolene, etc., all of which are hereinafter referredto simply as gas. 1 ,y The invention is a modification of a novel apparatus disclosed and broadly claimed in my application Serial No. 541,600 filed'February. 2, 1910.

.In-sorderl that the invention'may be more any. understood reference}. is'hereby made to the accompanying drawing of which' i Figure 1 is a sideelevation, partly in sec tion, showing my.improvedapparatus applied to a well known form of inverted incandescent gas burner. Fig- 2-is an en.- largedlongitudinal section of the ignition tube ofjFig/l. Fig. 3.:is a side elevation of the same, partly in .section,.ina plane at right angles to the planeof Fig. 2. Fig. 4

is a section online 44' of Fig. 1, and Fig.

*5 is abottom plan ofFig. 4..

- The gas burner of Fig. 1 comprises an invertedu U*-shaped supply tube a, provided with the usual gas check b,air inlets c, flash diaphragm d, globe holder e,'Bunsen tube .f, and mantle holder 9. The globe holder eis in thetform of a canopy or inverted funnel having largeopenings .h for. discharging the heated products of combustion. Near the: center of the globe holder and at substantially the highest point is an opening 1 above which is mounted anipple 2 having a flange 3 which issecured by rivets :(no tshown) to .the canopy e, the bore of said nipple registering with said opening.

Upon the nipple2 is'mounted a vertical tube 4 secured by'a set'screw 5. The bore or interior of said tube forms an ignition chamber. Thewalls of the tube 4 are cut away intermediate. its ends forming two large rectangular openings 'or 'windows"6'and-7.

Atthe. bottom oftheseopenings is a baflie plate 8 extending acrossfthe. bore of the .tubeland composed preferably of some non oxidizing substance-"such as Monel metal "which does notscale and is well adapted for Specification OfLetters Patent. Application filcd June 11, 1916. Serial NO. 566,408.

binding post 33 secures the wire 15 to said Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

the purpose, its composition being approximately 74 to 75% nickel, 24 to 25% copper, 1 to 2% iron. The upper end of the tube 4 is closed by a plug composed of a metal sleeve 9 secured by a set screw 10, and an insulating bushingll set therein and through whlch passes a headed conducting bolt 12 securedby a nut 13. This nut has a passage 14 for receiving a conducting wire 15 and av-set screw 30 for securing the same. A very fine wire or filamentfld of platinum or platinum alloy is: secured at its ends to the supporting conductors 17 and 18, one of which is solderedto the head of the bolt I 12 and the other to the sleeve 9. Thewire or filament 16'is straight, and extends hori- Zontally across the" axis of the tube 4 and parallel to the edges of the bafileplate 8 and to the planes of the Openings 6 and 7.

'The width of said openings .ispreferably somewhat greater than'thelength of -the wire 16. By. reason of the arrangement of these Openings with respect to saidwire and their considerable width, there is a very thorough exposure of the wire to the actionof atmospheric air. The gas controlling cock may be of any desired 'form, but is preferably constructed so as to simultaneously admit gas to the pipe a and complete an electricalcircuit through the wire 15. As shown it comprises a body 21 hava s rin 26 extendsoutwardl in position to P a y be engaged by the pin 23. An insulating block 40 is secured to the body21 by a screw 31, and a contact 32 is mounted thereon in position to be engaged by thespring 27. A

contact 32.; u i l a The device operates as follows: The key 22 of the cock121 is turned 'so as toadmit gas to the pipe a'and to simultaneously complete an'electrical circuit from a battery or cell through the ring 25, spring 27 contact porting conductors 17 and 18. The width 32, wire 15, bolt 12*, wires 17, 16 18, sleeve 9 and tube t to the ground and back to the battery. The gas which is admitted to the lamp flows from the burner head of the Bunsen tube 7. The stream of gas rises into the top of the canopy 2 and a portion of it flows through the opening 1 into the ignitionchamber within the tube 4. Passing upward around the edges of bafile plate 8 eddying or whirling currents of gas or gas and air mixtures are created which curl'over the edges of the baflie plate and envelop the ignition wire which is freely exposed along its entire length to the atmosphere by reason-of; the openings 6 and 7 to the planes of which it is parallel. The formation and effectiveness of these eddying currents are probably due, in large part to theshape of "the baifie plate and its position in the tube 4:. The baffle plate. also protects the filament against excessive temperatures during 1gn1t1on due to mixtures of too great richness. The hottest portion of the filament during ignition, which may be termedits active portion, is usually at and close to its center. on account of the flow of heat from thefilament to the leading inwires or sup said windows produce an ignitable mixture ofminimum richness. The electric current whlch is atthat time passing through the said wire is preferablv of a strength. which is i'nsufiicient of itself toheat the wire to the kindling temperature ofthe gas, but is suflicient to-initiate atalytic action of the gasupon'the said wire, one dry cell being suflicient for the purpose, The catalytic action quickly'brings the wire to the kindling temperature of the gas,whe'reupon the gas is ignited and" the, flame immediately consumes allof the gas in the lamp "and thereafter burns at the burner head of the Bunsentube f in the usual manner. Obviously,

the, flame thus established consumes all of the gas issuing from the burner head and thereby automatically cuts ofi all gas from the ignition tube.- The heated products of combustion passbut of the lamp in? the usual manner through one or more openings it, only a small portion passing through the opening 1- into the ignition device from which they escape through the openingsfi and 7. The baflie plate in conjunction with the narrow side pieces cause the products of conib'u'stionto form eddy or whirling currents which draw in air andfenvelop the wire as long as the -gas-isburning. These currents appear to revivify or energize the platinum maklng it more sensitive to -the catalytic" action hereinbefore referred (10.-

Moreover, eddy currents of mixed gases, are formed-about the wire prior to 'gnitlonand these currents prevent a condition of hanging fire, thus making the ignition more prompt and shielding the wire at: amoment of intense activity from. prolonged strain.

. 1. An igniter'having an ignition chamber,

a baffle plate within the same,.the surface of which opposite the filament at its lateral edge or edges is substantially fiat, and a 0on ducting filament situated adj acent said baflie plate, the width of said baffle plate being substantially greater than that of the active portion of said. filament, substantially as :set forth.

' 2. An igniterhaving an ignition chamber, a substantially flat, transverseplate within the same, and a conducting filament situated adjacent said plate, the Width of said bafiie plate being substantially greater than/that of the active portion of said filament, substantially as set forth. I

. In a gas lamp, an ignitiontube, afilament-therein, means for applyinganelect'ric current thereto, .a substantially-fiat plate within the bore of said tube and transverse to its axis, said plate having a lateraledge extending in a straight line, andsaidplate being placed adjacent saidfilament andbetween it and the gas supplypsubstantially as set forth.

4:. In a gas lamp, an ignition chamber, a

filament therein, means for applying an electric current thereto, a baflie between said or window in said chamber opening directly to the atmosphere, said filament extending in the same general direction as the plane of said opening and adjacent the same, substantially as set forth. 5. In a gas lamp, a gas supply having. an outlet, an adjacent chamber having an inlet in the path of gas'issuing'from saidoutlet', a horizontal filament"within'said'cliamber, a horizontal baflle plate below the same and an opening or Window in said chamber opening directly to the atmosphere, said filament ex'a tending in the same general direction as the plane of said opening and adjacent; the same, substantially as set forth. f j .1

6. An ignition tube, ,aJbafile' plate within the same, an openingorwindow' form'e'djn the wall; of said tube adjacent s aidibaflle filament and the gas supply, and an opening plate, and a conducting filament situated above said bafile plate and extending in the samegeneral direction as the plane of said opening.

a gas lamp, an ignition chamber having oppositely disposed openings or windows opening directly to the atmosphere, a

bafile plate adjacent said windows and eX- tending in the same general direction as the planes thereof, and. a conducting filament situated above said bafiie plate, substantially as set forth. i

8. In a gas lamp, an ignition chamber having oppositely disposed openings or windows opening directly to the atmosphere,

j a baffleplate located at the lower edges of said openings and extending in the same general direction as the planes of said openings, and a conducting filamentsituated immediately above said baffle plate, substantially as set forth. a

9. An ignition tube having oppositely disposed openings whose width is substantially equal to the bore of the tube, a transverse member within said tube at the baseof said openings and of a smaller area than said bore, and a filament above saidtransverse member. s

10. In a gas lamp, an ignition chamber, a

battle within the same, a filament adjacent the bailie and a window adjacent and sub stantially parallel to said filament and open= 1 the window exceeding the length'of the fila-- ing directly to the atmosphere, the width of ment, substantially as set forth.

1-1.An ignition tube the lower end of which is open to form an inlet, a transverse conducting filament mounted therein, a window in said tube adjacent and substantially parallel'to said filamentQthe width of'the Iwindow exceedingthe length of the filament.

12. burner head, an ignition chamber "havingan inlet in the path of gas issuing from said burner head, an ignition filament within said chamber, and a substantially fiat bafiie plate close to said filament, and between it and said burner head, the width of said baflie plate being substantially greater than that of the active portion of the filament whereby the latter is protected against excessive temperatures during i ition. I

13. A burner head, an ignition chamber having an inlet in the path of gas issuing from said burner head, an ignition filament within said chamber, one or more air inlets adjacent said filament opening directlyto the atmosphere, and a substantially fiat baf fie plate closeto said filament and between it andsaid burner head. a

1 1. In a gas lamp, a gas supply having an outlet, an ignition chamber having an inlet in the path of gas issuing from said outlet, an ignition filament within said cham ber, anda battle between said filament and said gas outlet, and adjacent said filament,

16. An igniter having an ignition cham vber,a filament therein, means for applying electric current thereto, and a substantially flat transverse plate adjacent the filament and between it and the. gas supply, substantially asset forth.

17. An igniter'having an ignition chamber, a substantially fiat plate within the same, an opening or window formed in the wall thereof adjacent said plate, and a conducting filament above said plate, said plate being situated adjacent the filament and between it and the gas supply, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 4th day of June 1910.

. HOWARD LYON. Witnesses:

Josnrrr H. J OHNSON, A. G. HENSEL, J r.

copies 6mm patent may be obtained for'flve cent: each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

